Noted

Owen calculating the dimensions of his birthday surprise while at Home Depot.  Stay tuned. (dun dun dun!) 

Ever staying warm and sleepy in the Maya wrap while we walked around the lake.

It's snowing for real (finally) outside.  I was just about to gather up little Everly and head to our warm, comfy bed when I noticed that she'd already fallen asleep.  I guess the rhythm of the dishwasher was enough to knock her out in her bouncy seat.  Not wanting to wake my small beauty I thought I'd post a few random thoughts that have been bouncing in my head.

1) Being a mom is way, way, way, way more fun/adventuresome/amazing/fulfilling then I could ever have imagined.  I am so thrilled to wake up every morning to the little greeting, "hi mama!".  I love how much Owen is growing every day.  He started asking "you ok?" if I look wounded in any way.  It melts my heart.  He turned to me and patted my arm while we were reading stories and then told me he loved me.  My heart swells so much every time we have one of those moments - telling stories, cuddle time, hearing him get excited about 'open gym'.  I knew that I didn't understand the gushing of other parents when they'd recount those stories - now I know.   And now...I have officially gushed.  Motherhood is amazing.  

But it is true - you get out what you put in.  New parents: gear up for feats of patience, revel in thinking through and processing your (and their) responses to situations, stretch your sacrificing muscles, dust off your creative skills, discover new levels of energetic enthusiasm, and understand that you will be humbled in the process.  Over and over.  

And relax.  It's going to be ok.  Try again and get it right next time.

2) I love babies.  Ah!!!  I love baby wearing.  I love co-sleeping.  True - it's not for everybody.  Also true - each child is different.  Also, also true - we're still figuring everything out.  But for now, for us, for me it is good.  I'm finally content to let all the voices in, and out, and make an informed decision (with Jon) about how WE will do things.  Big exhale. 

3) God is good.  (Owen loves to say this).  His role in the intimate details of our life is overwhelmingly large and undeniable.  I will do a better job of giving credit where credit is due on this space.

4) Regarding this blog.  It's going to get a makeover.  

I'm not really cut out for facebook or twitter.  I think maybe I'm too shy.  Can I have a public blog and say that I'm too shy for twitter?  Maybe what I mean is that I can't take the immediacy of online interaction.   

Anyway.  I have a blog.  And I also read a fair number of blogs.  Blogs about mothers with five children who find time to sew amazing, beautiful clothing and be crafty.  (don't believe me?  Check out No Big Dill).  Blogs about artist mothers in NYC.  Blogs about design.  About fancy singles and regular parents.  It's kind of addicting to peak into other people's lives.  Virtual voyeurism.  After awhile though you start to feel like you (I) need to be 'that'.  A crafty, photogenic, energetic, funny, trendy bloggerbot who posts twice a day and calls their following 'cuties' or 'dear readers'.  

There is nothing wrong with that (mostly) but it's not me, or us, or this blog.  

This blog is for Owen and Everly and any other children we have.  So they can look back and see how amazing their parents really were.  Or, if that's not the case (gasp!), they can at least have a chronological record of their cuteness.

It's also for their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.  Distance stinks.  But thanks to the wonderfulness of the interweb that same chronological cuteness record is theirs for the viewing.

If you don't fall into one of those categories I'd suggest a) marrying into the family or b) pursuing adoption options.  Kidding!  (Oh, stop the funny!)  

As of now we're ok with virtual voyeurism here.  It'd be nice to get a comment once a year or so...but we have google analytics so we know where you live anyway.  (jokes!  again!  see kids, your mama WAS funny!)  Just don't expect a thrill ride.  Or craft tutorials.  Or many awesome recipes.  Or too many good pictures.  Or for me to sew clothing.  It might not happen and I'd hate to disappoint anyone.

Aaaaaaannnndddd....Ever's awake.  So now...I'm going to bed.

Life lesson

Owen and I have been attempting to take advantage of the little pockets of snow we get each week.  Last week, after trying and trying and trying to make a snowman (or snowball - I'm not an overachiever) out of the dry, dry, fluffy, powder snow, we gave up, came in and made hot chocolate and peanut butter crackers, bien sur!

Owen helped me whisk in the hot chocolate powder and spread peanut butter on the crackers.  Mostly on the crackers.  Then, sitting at the dining room table we had another of those Mama/Owen conversations that I love so much.  See the text below.  I’ve added a bit of continuity to the story since I had to continually interrupt him and verify key components (i.e. make sure that ‘whining’ wasn’t ‘running’) and to laugh - he was so serious, especially about the helicopter.  It went something like this (but took muuuch longer to tell)...

Owen’s snack time story

One time there were some kids...in red shirts...in a car.

They were whining.  (we don’t like whining around here.) 

Whining sound effects - whawahwhawah.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!  <---- Owen’s laughter.

The drove away - RrrRMmm,rRrrmMmm.

The police came.

Then, a helicopter rescued Pop-pop (my dad) from the tree he was stuck in.

THE END!

Let that be a lesson to us all.  Whining gets you no where.  Except maybe jail.  

And my father really shouldn't be climbing trees.

Stop the cuteness.

Yes.  That is a bow.

It sticks on her head.  I'm not apologizing.

Cloudy Flight

I got a little mobile up for Owen!  

Personally I think it came out better than I thought it would. The idea started out as paper airplanes but Target had little wooden plane in their dollar aisle a few weeks back and I picked up a few.  Much better.  And easier.

Jon and I painted two of the planes while watching Iron Man II (mehh...not as good as the first one) to add a little more character.  

The clouds are fiber fill that I shaped to look more billowy.  

A little fishing line and a tall, handsome man provided the gravity defying effect.  I'd like to add more clouds, and maybe even another plane - but for now it looks like a little air show is happening right over his pillow each night. 

Any guesses as to who painted which plane?  :)

One Month - Outtakes

 done.

One Happy Month!

I love this second one.  It's not the best picture but I almost feel like I get a glimpse into her future.  So beautiful.

Ever is one month old!  32 days (plus a few more now)?  Really - you've been here that long?  I've had 32 days to hold you and cuddle you, sleep with you in my arms, spend time just watching you discover the world around you, learn your different cries?  

Things about Ever's first month.

• She has a very gentle temperament. 
  
• She sleeps as if it's going out of style.  (please let it not be going out of style)
  
• She can spit up more than any baby I've ever dealt with.
  
• She loves to be held and warm.
  
• She has a rarely heard, but pretty intense warrior scream.  The kind preceded by no sound for a few seconds beforehand.
  

So...basically she is just like her mother.  (Except for the spit up part).  :)

I love her so much.

I'm thinking about documenting her first year in a different way than Owen's.  I like the last picture on the blanket - I might use that...feel free to weigh in though.